Leader: Steve Clark

A great day we had on the Around Salcey walk. 6 of us left the Spread Eagle in Piddington heading for Salcey Forest. The day was cloudy and we had some rain.

We walked all the way through the forest then out into the countryside heading for Stoke Park Wood where we had our morning T break. Then on to Gayhurst, circling around Gayhurst Wood to cross over the M1 heading for Tathall End, and on to Hanslope where we had lunch in the Cock pub.

Nearing Hanslope we interrupted a hawk on the ground that had just caught a young Great Spotted Woodpecker. It flew off leaving its catch on the ground so we caught it and put it in the hedge out of sight of the hawk which was circling around. Although the hawk had not killed the young bird it was not able to fly.

After lunch we headed back across the M1 and into Salcey Forest where we had a quick loo stop before heading back to the cars.

The high point of the day was the poor little Great Spotted Woodpecker, I wonder if it survived?.

Thanks to Sue England who came down from Kenilworth to walk with us.

All my photos are on my web site... www.steveceegalleries.smugmug.com